Most people don’t expect their roofing contractor to be a singer, a drummer, a nonprofit founder, and a CEO — but then again, Letitia Hanke has never done things the usual way.

Long before she was leading ARS Roofing & Gutters, Letitia was just a little girl facing something no child should: bullying. And not the casual playground kind. The abuse at the hands of her peers was relentless. By the age of seven, she’d learned to hate the skin she was in.

But then something beautiful happened. Her music teacher handed her a trumpet.

Letitia didn’t just learn to play it — she poured her heart into it. That trumpet became her voice when her real one felt too small. By eight, she was playing with the high school band. By twelve, she taught herself piano and drums. Music wasn’t just a hobby — it was healing. It was her safe place. Her way out.

Music Gave Her a Voice, Now She Uses It to Lift Others

Letitia’s love of music stuck with her, but life had other plans too. In college, needing a job to make ends meet, she stumbled into roofing — and stayed. She started at the bottom and worked her way up for eight years. Then in 2004, she did something bold: she got her contractor’s license and founded her own business, ARS Roofing & Gutters, in Santa Rosa.

And just like her music, ARS wasn’t about being flashy. It was about showing up with care, doing the work well, and protecting what matters most — people, families, homes.
But Letitia couldn’t stop there. She knew her story wasn’t just for her. So she founded The LIME Foundation, named after her son Emil (spelled backwards), with a mission to give young people the same kind of lifeline music gave her.

The Heart Behind the Hammer

The culture at ARS isn’t your typical “patch the roof and move on” kind of thing. It’s about doing things with heart. When your ceiling leaks at 2 AM or a storm rips through your neighborhood, the ARS team is there — not just because it’s their job, but because they care.

That same spirit runs through The LIME Foundation’s Turner Arts Initiative, where kids who feel lost, ignored, or underestimated get a chance to create, express, and dream again. Just like Letitia once did.

Queen of the Flame: A Reflection of the Journey

Letitia’s newest creative venture is her album Queen of the Flame, releasing December 5, 2025. More than just music, the album is a testimony to her life. It tells stories of pain and power, love and loss, and the fierce determination to rise above every challenge.

Every song tells a part of her story. Tracks like:

  • “Why?” — A heart-wrenching question, born from a friend’s grief during the war in Ukraine. It’s about pain but also about choosing love when the world pushes hate.
  • “Rise Above” — For anyone who’s ever been told they’d never make it. It’s Letitia’s answer to every closed door: Watch me rise anyway.
  • “Find the Light” — A tribute to a student lost too soon, and a reminder that the light inside us never truly goes out.

100% of the proceeds from the Queen of the Flame album go directly to The LIME Foundation, helping fund programs that support youth in creative and vocational pathways.

Listen to the album “Queen of the Flame” on Spotify or Apple Music

Ready to Work with a Company That Cares?

At ARS Roofing & Gutters, every job we do is backed by a bigger mission, to protect homes and families and uplift lives. Work with a company that leads with compassion and excellence.

🔧 Need roofing help? Call ARS Roofing & Gutters at 415-459-7200 (Marin) and 707-584-5900 (Sonoma) or contact us online.

🌱 Want to support our youth programs? Learn more about The LIME Foundation.